Six games in, 1-4-1, a bye week to stew on it, and Washington’s answer is to add a former NFL head coach to the defensive meeting rooms. Not on the sideline. Not on the headset. In the building Sunday through Wednesday, then gone.
The Commies announced they retained Steve Wilks to work with the defensive coaches under defensive coordinator Daronte Jones, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday, along with Ian Rapoport. Per Garafolo, “Wilks will help with game planning. He won’t be with the team on game days.”
The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala provided further clarification on Wilk’s role. Jhabvala, citing a source, described it as a part-time assistant role to help Quinn and Jones “with defensive game-planning.” Her description of the schedule: “He doesn’t do game days; comes in on Sundays and leaves after practice on Wednesdays.”
We also heard from longtime Commanders reporter Ben Standig, who called it “an unusual setup” in his report, noting Wilks will be with the team “from post-game night through mid-week but not around on game days,” and that it is “something discussed since the year began rather than a reaction to the first 6 games.” Garafolo’s version is that the decision “was made last month.”
ESPN’s John Keim then chimed in with additional information concerning Wilks. “Steve Wilks actually started last week. Not a full-time situation. Helps with game planning,” he posted.
The question that first leaps to my mind is if this is a knock on Daronte Jones or not? The reporting says that this was not a panic move, and the timeline backs that up on paper. Both Standig and Garafolo put the decision before the losses piled up. That’s fine. But as Commies fans have watched this defense give up what it’s given up, I’ll say the quiet part: if it was planned all along, nobody’s going to remember that part. They’re going to remember that the extra help showed up during a 1-4-1 start.
I know that may not be fair, but that will be the narrative surrounding this move by the Commies. That will be the narrative flowing through an already disgruntled fanbase. This furthers the negative air that hangs over Asburn like a scene from The Fog.
Another question that hangs in the air is: even if this was planned before the season started, why did they plan it for Wilks to start seven weeks into the season during the bye week? That makes no sense at all. Dan Quinn’s judgment is already being rightly questioned after terrible in-game decisions. Now? This seems like either the Commies are lying or Dan Quinn is employing bizarre logic to purposely plan to hire Wilks but wait until Week 7 for him to start his job.
What About David Blough?
Here’s the part that stings. Washington has a defensive-minded head coach in Quinn, a defensive coordinator in Durante Jones with a long résumé that includes being the defensive coordinator for LSU, and now a former head coach consulting on the game plan for the defense. The offense? It has David Blough. A 31-year-old who has been coaching for just three years and has never been anything more than an assistant quarterbacks coach before becoming the offensive coordinator this season. How does this make sense?
If anyone needs help, it is Blough. Durante Jones already has a supposed defensive genius to help him in the form of Quinn. Blough has nothing. And Blough’s inexperience has reared its ugly head multiple times this season with bizarre playcalling at times and poor in-game management.
Sorry, but the fact remains that Quinn failed in not bringing in an experienced offensive coach to serve as a vital right-hand man to Blough to help mentor him and provide keen insight. We are seeing the results of that failure on a weekly basis as Blough has struggled in his new position. It is Quinn’s job to set Blough up for success, and he failed his young and inexperienced offensive coordinator.
The Bottom Line
Wilks gives Quinn and Jones another experienced voice during the part of the week when the plan actually gets built. That is a positive development. Another set of eyes and experience is welcome for a defense that has struggled this season. Of course, who knows if this will lead to any real changes with the defense coming out of the bye. We shall see. Until then, it’s a sensible hire that happens to look like an admission. This move also shines a spotlight on the bigger hole on offense.